Smoke-free policies were associated with a lower likelihood of an AUD onset among all smokers and in the subset of public drinking smokers. Public drinking smokers were also more likely to have an AUD remission when they lived in states that implemented smoke-free legislation. Importantly, non-smokers, who might increase drinking in smoke-free public venues did not demonstrate an increased likelihood of an AUD. In fact, nonsmoking public drinkers were less likely to experience an AUD onset if they lived in states with smoke-free legislation. Unexpectedly, the implementation of smoke-free bar and restaurant policies was associated with a greater likelihood of an AUD recurrence among smokers in the full sample, though this effect disappeared in the subset smokers who were also public drinkers. One reason considered is that some smokers may drink more at home following such legislation, though available evidence does not support this hypothesis (McKee et al., 2009). Further evaluation of the effects of smoke-free policies on the subgroup of non-public drinking smokers with a history of AUDs is needed to better understand this finding.
